By fannie brown



H. H. HEYWOODI DECD. F. B. HEYWOOD, ADMi NISTRATRJX. DEVICE FOR CLIMBINGSTEEL COLUMNS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 31 1919 1,312,399, Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

mw m

Wad

Hwx m, m n km a L// an me 8 J H witmwo e0 UNITED STATES PATENT ormon.

HENRY H. HEYWOOD, DECEASED, LATE OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, BY FANNIE BROWNHEYWOOD, ADMINISTRATRIX, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

DEVICE FOR CLIMBING STEEL COLUMNS.

To all whom it may concern:

. deceased, late a citizen of the United States,

residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, hasinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Devices for ClimbingSteel Columns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to climbing devices, and has for its object theprovision of a device which may be strapped upon the shoes so as toenable the wearer to climb up or down the I beams used as columns instructural steel work, the device being so constructed as to engage andfirmly grip the flanges of a column when the wearers weight is placedupon one foot and then the other, the movement being a natural one andsimilar to that employed in climbing a ladder. 7 An important object isthe provision of a device of this character in which the members whichengage the flanges of a column are adjustable so that the device may: beused with equal ease upo-n columns formed of different thicknesses ofmaterial.

7 V A further object isfthe provision of a device of this characterwhich will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, which may bequickly and easily applied to the shoes of the wearer, which will beeflicient in use, durable in service and a general improve ment in theart.

With the above and other objects and ad vantages in view, the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of a column showing my device engagedthereon and upon the shoe of a wearer.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the column and showing apair of my devices in top plan and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan. view of oneof the devices.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the letter A designates acolumn formed as an I beam having the oppositely extending flanges B.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a device designated broadly bythe letter C and formed preferably as a single casting including a flatplate portion 5 having formed upon one end thereof a laterally di-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1919. Serial No. 274,369.

rected U-shaped yoke 6 and also having formed thereon a pair of spaceddepending ears 7 located at the juncture of the plate portion 5 with theyoke 6. A rib 8 is preferably formed upon the underside of the plateportion 5 and extends to a point between the ears 7 for reinforcing theplate portion.

Threaded through the extremity of the arm 9 of the U-shaped yoke 6 isthe set screw 10 extending toward the plate portion 5 and disposedsubstantially in alinement with the longitudinal axis thereof. The setscrew 10 has threadedthereon a lock nut 11 whereby it may be secured inadjusted positions. Threaded through the ears 7 are similar set screws12 which extend toward the set screw 10 and which are in parallelrelation thereto and to each other. The set screws 12 are so arranged asto be upon opposite sides in respect to the set screw 10 and areprovided with lock nuts 13 whereby they may be secured in adjustedpositions. It will be noted that the set screws 12 lie in the same planeand that they are below the set screw 10.

Suitable straps 14, provided with any suitable securing means aredisposed upon the underside of the plate 5 and are held in position bysuitable metallic strips 15 and screws or rivets 16.

In use, the device is applied to the wearers foot by engaging the plateportion 5 beneath the sole and strapping it firmly there to by means ofthe straps 14. When the device is thus applied the yoke portion 6 willbe in advance of the toe of the shoe as clearly shown in the drawings.In order to climb a column such as shown, it is merely necessary thatthe operator so place his feet that the oppositely extending flanges Dof the column will be disposed between the set screw 10 and the setscrews 12 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The operator then moves one footupwardly to the desired height and throws his weight upon it, whereuponthe device will rock downwardly until the screws 12 engage firmlyagainst the flange B after which further movement will be impossible. InView of the fact that the screws 12 lie in a lower plane than the screws10 all the screws will cooperate to grip the flange B and prevent anyslipping of the device thereon. The next step is taken in exactly thesame manner, the operator sliding the device upwardly along the flange Bwith his foot in a normal horizontal position so that the screws willnot have any gripping action upon the flange until the operator rocksthe device downwardly by placing his weight upon it. This action iscontinued throughout the length of the column, the movement being thesame as that employed in climbing a ladder. A descent of the column isaccomplished in the same manner as will be quite obvious.

Owing to the fact that the screws 10 and 12 may be adjusted it will beseen that the device can be readily adapted for use upon columns formedof beams of different thicknesses.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawing it will beapparent that I have thus provided an extremely simple and inexpensivedevice which may be readily applied to the shoes of a wearer so as toenable the wearer to climb the columns of structural steel work withease and without any danger.

IVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention it will of course be readily understood that I reserve theright to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement ofparts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention nor the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim 1. A device of the characterdescribed, comprising a body formed as a flat plate, a laterallydisposed U-shaped yoke formed on one end of said plate, depending earsformed on the lower-side of said body at the juncture of said yoke withsaid plate, a member extending from the free end of said yoke towardsaid plate, a pair of members extending from said ears toward said firstnamed member and in spaced parallel rela tion thereto and to each otherand means for securing said body upon a shoe.

2. A device of the character described comprising a body formed as aplate, a laterally extending U-shaped yoke formed on the forward end ofsaid plate, a pair of depending ears formedat the juncture of said yokewith said plate, a set screw threaded through the free end of said yokeand extending toward said plate, a pair of set screws threaded throughsaid ears in spaced parallel relation to each other and to said firstnamed set screw and extending in the opposite direction to said firstnamed set screw, and securing straps carried by said plate whereby thedevice may be secured upon a shoe.

3. A device of the character described comprising a body formed as asingle easting and including a flat plate portion, a laterally extendingU-shaped yoke formed integrally upon one end of said plate portion, theupper edge of said yoke lying in the same plate as the upper surface ofsaid plate portion, a pair of depending ears formed at the juncture ofsaid yoke and said plate portion, a set screw threaded through theextremity of said U-shaped yoke and extending toward said plate portionsubstantially in alinement with the longitudinal axis thereof, and apair of set screws threaded through said ears and extending in adirection opposite to that of the first named set screw, said last namedset screws being in spaced parallel relation to each other and to saidfirst named set screw.

FANNIE BROWN HEYWOOD, Admz'm'stmtm'w for the estate of Henry H Heywood,deceased.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

